california. it could last for days and many at a time. on this night of the year, especially, new york city continues to be a tale of two cities. just outside our studios, out back here tonight, thousands are packed into the plaza for the lighting of the rockefeller center christmas tree, always a glittering occasion, this time of year. but if you get in the car and drive to the shoreline to the beach communities of the rockaways, it is an entirely different story, a cold, dark night under curfew, since the big storm. nbc's katy tur is just one block where fire and water combined destroyed 111 homes. >> reporter: good evening, brian, people around here are talking about two things today. one of them is all the debris and dust like this, what it is doing to the air quality. that with the mold, the sewage, and is it safe to breathe? that is why you're seeing so many people around here wearing masks. in fact, doctors have seen more breathing problems since sandy hit. the others are the local businesses, we're on one street with the local businesses. the owners say nearly 1150 businesses in the
